Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet is the EV quintessence of elegance

Last year’s gorgeous luxury coupe is dropping its top for the “big surprise” act at this year’s edition of the Monterey Car Week. And Mercedes did warn us about it…

Nobody really thought they were speaking both ways – with this gorgeous and humongous open-top, all-electric marvel. The Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet is naturally the convertible counterpart to last year’s hardtop wearing the same moniker, showcased during the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The Vision 6 Cabriolet is again seemingly inspired by art-deco – nineteen feet long (5.8 meters), with 24 inch wheels and humongous hood and tail. All in all, we wouldn’t be too surprised if the wheels hid and it morphed into a watercraft as well. The huge grille is flanked by very small headlights, and the car’s “boat tail” bodes well with the Nautical Blue Metallic paint job.

Inside there are just two seats, and the interior is completed with a “flowing” design mantra – wing-like center console, wrap-around ambient-lighting elements, and blending door panels. Even the blue lights depict a small backlit Mercedes pointed-star logo. Going against the trend, “the designers are responding to the need of people to experience analogue luxury in what is an increasingly digital world” via twin round instrument binnacles with no digital elements. If you want to come back to modern times, “main driving functions” and navigation are being delivered via two head-up displays onto the windshield.

Motivation is provided by four synchronous electric motors, one for each wheel, delivering 750 horsepower (550 kilowatts) – that can be linked to a 350-kw CCS fast-charger, with 60 miles (100 kilometers) of driving range coming in just five minutes. Total range is more than 200 miles (322 kilometers) – up to 500 km (311 miles) when the NEDC is considered. The sprint to 60 miles per hour happens comes “under” four seconds, with electronically-governed maximum speed of 155 mph. One last tidbit – it’s just a design study, no chance of seeing it on the roads like the Maybach G Landaulet.